EIC Accelerator –
an EU funding program
for SMEs, start-ups
and spinoffs

How to benefit from EU funding programs

From December 2019 to November 2022, emmtrix Technologies GmbH has been part of the EU Funding Program for Research and Innovation “EIC Accelerator” (formerly SME instrument). Oliver Oey, Technical Product Manager at emmtrix Technologies, talks about his experiences, the benefits of the program and gives tips for a successful participation.
Hello Oliver, please tell us a little bit about the EIC Accelerator program. What were the goals?
The EIC Accelerator program is aimed at helping high-tech start-ups with their market-entry phase. Often small companies need to invest significantly into their solutions and their sales and marketing before they find their first partners and customers.
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“The programe gave us the ability to build up our team and further develop our technolgy at a critical time and stay afloat as a company when in 2020 business stopped.”
Oliver Oey, Technical Product Manager at emmtrix Technologies
How has emmtrix benefited from the program?
To be honest, the programme has been a life-safer. We were struggling with complex technical challenges to make the move from theoretical to practical, market-tested solutions. Then Corona came and our timelines were blown to pieces by our potential markets aerospace and automotive going into self-preservation mode. So the programme gave us the ability to build up our team and further develop our technology at a critical time and stay afloat as a company when in 2020 business stopped. This led to our first successes in Europe and Asia in 2021, on which we are building today.
Were there any challenges/ hurdles?
Plenty. First, you need to apply successfully and understand the selection process and procedures. Once accepted, you need to constantly adjust and justify your plans, which is very useful for start-ups who run on sight. In the end, you want to be successful and make good use of the financial support you have been provided with.
Can you give some tips for SMEs, startups and spinoffs interested in the EIC Accelerator program?
      • First make sure you have a valid plan for your product, tool or service. If you are convinced, you can convince others.
      • Don’t oversell it (the hockey stick should be realistic still).
      • Prepare for mitigation and change your course when something does not work out.
      • Also think about the endphase, when you have to go back to being unsupported.
emmtrix Technologies logo

“We are extremely grateful to all the people involved in the programe […]. In a way we need to thank Europe and the Europeans for helping us on our journey from start-up to a viable business in difficult times.”

Do you want to thank someone within the program?

We are extremely grateful to all the people involved in the programe. Our interview in Brussels apparently was very pleasant, so really something to look forward to. Our project officers have supported us throughout the lifetime of the project, the coaches we were given provided essential input from an outside point of view (priceless). In a way we need to thank Europe and the Europeans for helping us on our journey from start-up to a viable business in difficult times.

Thank you, Oliver, for the interview.

Interviewer: Mira Steinmetz, Marketing Manager, emmtrix Technologies October 2022

    This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 879405

    This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 879405

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